Crow Intelligence: Solving Puzzles & Using Tools

Some birds are surprisingly smart. Although crows have small brains compared to humans, their brains are very efficient. They are packed with neurons (brain cells) that allow them to think, plan, and solve problems just like apes or young children.

Masters of Tool Use

Most animals use only their bodies to find food, but crows use objects as tools. The New Caledonian crow is famous for making its own fishing rods. It finds a stiff twig or a stiff leaf and uses its beak to trim it into a hook shape. The crow then pokes this hook into holes in trees to drag out grubs and insects that it cannot reach with its beak alone.

Crows also understand how water works. In scientific tests, crows have solved the “Aesop’s Fable” puzzle. When a tasty worm is floating in a tube of water out of reach, a crow will drop stones into the tube. The stones make the water level rise until the bird can grab the treat.

recognizing Faces

Crows have excellent memories. They can recognize individual human faces and remember them for years. If a person is mean to a crow, the bird will remember that specific face. They can even communicate this danger to other crows. A flock of crows will often scold or dive at a person who has bothered them in the past, even if that person is wearing different clothes. This ability helps them stay safe in cities and towns where they live close to humans.

Complex Problem Solving

Crows do not just react to things; they plan ahead. In experiments, crows have solved puzzles requiring up to seven different steps. For example, a crow might need to pull up a string to get a short stick, use the short stick to reach a longer stick, and then use the long stick to reach a piece of food. They can look at the puzzle and work out the solution in their heads before they even start moving.